Patients, Families and Nurses Define a Good Death in Palliative Care Study

A mixed-methods study published in BMC Palliative Care has examined how three groups central to end-of-life care—patients, the family members who care for them, and nurses in palliative care clinics—perceive the concept of a good death. The open-access research article, authored by Arzu Nurdaş, Asiye Tan, and Hazal Atalay and published on 17 October 2026, combined quantitative measurement with qualitative description to capture how these perceptions are formed and where they converge.

The motivation set out in the study’s background is straightforward: ensuring a good death is described as one of the primary goals of palliative care, yet perceptions of what constitutes a good death can vary from person to person. According to the authors, this variability can directly influence the quality of care delivered. Because patients, relatives, and nurses each bring different vantage points to the end-of-life experience, the study set out to investigate how all three groups perceive a good death within the same clinical setting.

Methodologically, the research was designed as a cross-sectional, single-blind, and descriptive mixed-methods study. The quantitative strand collected data from a sample of 135 participants using a Good Death Scale, a structured instrument intended to quantify perceptions of a good death. The qualitative strand adopted a descriptive qualitative research approach, with the resulting data evaluated through content analysis. This dual design allowed the researchers to examine the concept of a good death from both numerical and narrative perspectives within a single investigation.

The study reported that its quantitative and qualitative findings were largely consistent with one another. In the qualitative section, two central themes emerged from the content analysis: ‘Making sense of the end’ and ‘Alleviating the burden of death’. These themes suggest that, in the accounts analyzed, a good death was tied both to how individuals interpret and find meaning in the approaching end of life and to easing the burdens that surround dying—for patients themselves and for those caring for them.

On the quantitative side, the researchers observed that the scale items showed significant correlations with the relevant factors, and that the factors generally possessed an adequate level of internal consistency. The reported correlations between items and their factors indicate that the responses aligned with the scale’s intended structure.

The study’s conclusion frames a good death as a multifaceted concept that encompasses not only physical dimensions but also psychological, social, and spiritual ones. This multidimensional picture is consistent with the two qualitative themes identified: making sense of the end of life speaks to psychological and spiritual meaning-making, while alleviating the burden of death extends into social and practical territory that involves families and nursing staff as well as patients.

From this conclusion, the authors draw a practical implication: it is important to adopt holistic and patient-centered approaches in end-of-life care that prioritize the individual’s preferences, values, and needs. Because perceptions of a good death vary from person to person, care that assumes a single universal definition risks missing what matters most to the individual patient, the argument runs. The involvement of three different groups in the study reflects the reality that end-of-life care is a shared endeavor among patients, family caregivers, and professional nurses.

As with any single study, the scope of these findings should be understood in context. The research was conducted in palliative care clinics with a specific sample of 135 quantitative participants, and its cross-sectional design captures perceptions at one point in time rather than tracking how they change. The article was shared early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research; the publishers note that this version is subject to further edits and will be replaced by the final Version of Record, although it is citable and carries a permanent DOI.

By measuring perceptions with a structured scale and then examining the same concept through qualitative content analysis—and finding the two strands largely consistent—the research offers a converging picture in which physical comfort, psychological meaning, social support, and spiritual concerns all figure in what patients, family members, and nurses in palliative care clinics regard as a good death.

Subject of Research: Perceptions of a good death among patients, family members, and nurses in palliative care clinics

Article Title: An examination of patients’, family members’, and nurses’ perceptions of a good death in palliative care clinics: mixed-methods study

Article References: Nurdaş, A., Tan, A., & Atalay, H. (2026). An examination of patients’, family members’, and nurses’ perceptions of a good death in palliative care clinics: mixed-methods study. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-026-02390-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12904-026-02390-9

Keywords: palliative care, good death, end-of-life care, mixed-methods, nurses, family caregivers, qualitative research, cross-sectional study, patient-centered care, BMC Palliative Care, examination, patients